South Side Man Wins Acquittal

October 20, 1985

The reputed leader one of Chicago`s largest street gangs was acquitted Friday of federal weapons charges that could have led to a mandatory 15-year prison sentence. Jerome Freeman, 33, of 11461 S. Vincennes Ave., had been charged in a federal indictment under a Career Criminals Act that as a three- time convicted felon he had been in the possession of a sawed-off shotgun when police raided his home November, 1984, eight days after his release from a Wisconsin prison. U.S. Judege James Moran in his verdict said that the government did not meet its burden of proof in the case. Freeman`s attorney, Charles G. Murphy, said he and his client ``are very pleased with the verdict.`` Freeman will be remanded to Wisconsin parole authorities for a parole hearing, where he could be sentenced to the remainder of his 10-year term. Freeman could face two years in prison.